Brea Faeth: We Went $1,000,000 Over Budget… And I'd Do It Again

✅ FREE tool and training to grade properties instantly & spot winners faster: https://go.buildstrwealth.com/superpropertygrader 💸Baselane: Get $100 when you sign up and put your rental finances on autopilot—no monthly fees, no stress: https://baselane.com/str-wealth? Bill and Brea Faeth went $1,000,000 over budget on their Whitefish, Montana property — and they'd do it again without hesitation. In this episode, they break down every dollar spent and exactly why each one was an investment in marketability, not just aesthetics. We get into the property's $2.7M-to-$5.2M value jump, how clearing a chain link fence and a row of maple trees unlocked the direct view of Glacier National Park that led Patryk Swietek to call it the #1 Airbnb in Montana, and the renovation decisions behind the $1.1M spend — from $35,000 in hand-painted murals to $150,000 in electrical to $95,000 in tile. We also talk about Brea's "one piece of jewelry per room" design rule, how she sourced a chandelier from the Kalispell Airport ceiling and tracked it down on Amazon for $200, why they designed every inch of this property for resale and not just STR income, and the 5-year appreciation math on a $5M property that could turn a $3.8M total investment into an $8–9M exit. If you're building an STR business and want to understand how to design and renovate for marketability, long-term wealth, and multiple exit strategies, this one's worth your time. Chapters 00:00 – Bill Faeth Unfiltered with Brea Faeth 00:04 – Yes, They'd Do It Again: How a $1M Over-Budget Reno Created $2.5M in Value 01:36 – What Made Patryk Swietek Call This the #1 Airbnb in Montana 03:28 – "We're Buying Marketability": The Mindset That Justifies Every Big Spend 06:47 – The "One Piece of Jewelry Per Room" Rule That Separates Good STR Design from Great 09:00 – From Kalispell Airport to Amazon: How Brea Found a $5,000 Chandelier for $200 11:13 – Chevron Fireplaces, Plaid Wallpaper, and Using Design to Bring the Sky Inside 13:29 – $35K in Hand-Painted Murals, $150K in Electrical: When to Say Yes to the Big Numbers 17:06 – Three Exit Strategies, Not Just STR: How This Property Is Built to Sell 19:00 – The 5-Year Appreciation Play: Could a $3.8M Investment Become $8–9M? Connect with Bill Faeth 🔸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billfaeth73 🔸 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/284886002732508 🔸 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billfaeth/ 🔸 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bfaeth